by Michael Bray
Henry screwed up his features, frustrated and angry at his inability to respond.
“The family and I have discussed it. We’ve decided to cut you off. The money you set aside will help us to get over this mess. It’s not like you’ll need it anyway. Chances are you’ll be here ‘til you die anyway. After what you did, I think this is the safest place for you to be.”
The fog cleared for a few seconds, and Henry was able to slur a few words. “They won’t rest… hotel… won’t ever stop…” he managed before his thoughts were once again lost in the swirling soup in his head.
“Don’t worry about the hotel. The deeds to your half of the land have been transferred to me, not that they’re worth the paper they’re written on with Bruce in a coma he might never wake up from. You really did a number on him, Henry. He’s a fucking vegetable now, kept alive by machines. Ahh, hell it doesn’t matter anyway. Nobody will go anywhere near the place. Even the ghost-hunters have moved on. It’s not the town where the ghosts are anymore, Henry, it’s now known as the murder town. With all the settlements to grieving families the town had to cover, they’ll be lucky to see another year. You really screwed things up.”
Dane stood, Henry’s half-lidded glassy eyes following him.
“Anyway, I thought you ought to know straight from me what the situation is. I don’t expect I’ll visit again. The family and I have decided it’s best to disown you. Nothing personal you understand, just in light of what happened it’s for the best. The press are still having a field day with this, and it’s our names getting dragged through the dirt whilst you sit here and drool all over yourself. I hope you find a way to come to terms with what you did to those people, Henry. I hope you find forgiveness, just don’t look for it from me or the family.”
“thmth nthrr shth, theth tohthd mth…”
“I haven’t got the slightest idea what you’re saying to me, and frankly I don’t care. Goodbye.”
Dane knocked on the door and waited to be released from the room whilst Henry continued to drool, growing increasingly agitated. He stood and banged on the glass, startling Dane as he spat his way around his mumbled words. Orderlies immediately entered the room, restraining Henry and injecting him with a powerful sedative. He stared at Dane as his world started to fade to black, the words he was so desperate to say so clear in his head yet impossible to articulate.
They’ll never stop. Not until the boy is dead.
The light faded, followed swiftly by sound and feeling. Those words stayed though. Those words were key. They’d whispered it to him at the end, right before he was separated from Donovan. Their secret, the reason they wanted Isaac dead.
He was the key. He’s the one who can end it all.
The words echoed around Henry’s mind as he lost his battle to stay conscious.
EPILOGUE
8 months later.
“It’s beautiful, Mel. It looks really nice,” Rebecca said as she stood beside her sister.
Melody didn’t respond, hiding behind her oversized sunglasses. A light summer breeze pushed through the flowers in her hand. She crouched and leaned them against the headstone.
“Would you mind giving me a few minutes, Becca?” she said.
“Yeah, no problem. I’ll go round up that nephew of mine.”
Melody folded her dress under her and sat in front of the gravestone, staring at the words etched into its face.
STEVEN ALLEN SAMSON
FATHER, HUSBAND, SAVIOUR
AUGUST 12th 1976 – NOVEMBER 14th 2013
“I’m glad you have a stone now. I didn’t know they would take so long to arrive.” she said in a quiet voice.
In the distance, she heard Isaac playing with Rebecca.
“You saved me twice. It was more than I ever deserved.”
She waited, half-hoping to hear a response, crushed by the silence which greeted her.
“I decided to give up the apartment. I know you liked it there, but there were just too many memories.”
She took off her glasses, squinting against the sun.
“I hope you understand. Becca said I could move in with her and I think I need her support right now. We’re trying to get on with things. I won’t deny it’s hard without you there. I know you’re watching us, and it brings me comfort. It’s not the same though. I miss the feel of you near me.” Her voice wavered, so she took a deep breath and dabbed the corners of her eyes with a tissue.
“Isaac isn’t coping so well either. He’s having nightmares. Rebecca thinks he needs some sort of counseling. Can you believe it? Counseling at eight years old.”
She stared at the stone, again waiting for the reply she knew would never come.
“Anyway,” she said, slipping her sunglasses back on. “I’d better be making a move. I promised Isaac ice cream and if I leave it much longer I’ll never hear the end of it. He’s stubborn like you.”
She stood and brushed the grass from her dress.
“I’ll come and see you again soon. Sleep well.”
She kissed the marble headstone and let her hand linger on it for a moment, then went back to Isaac, who as predicted, was asking about the earlier promised ice cream. As they walked away, Melody took one last look over her shoulder at the headstone, wondering what the future held for her and Isaac, and how they would cope with it alone. The wind rocked the trees, yet she barely noticed, keeping her head low as she walked on with Rebecca. Isaac lingered behind, dragging a stick through the dirt. The trees rocked again and he paused, looking up at them and cocking his head to one side, mouth slightly ajar.
He waited.
He listened.
“Isaac, come on, if you want ice cream you’d better hurry up,” Rebecca shouted.
“Coming,” he replied, dropping the stick and running to catch up.
Melody held his hand as they walked. The trees moved again, and Isaac looked over his shoulder, his brow furrowed. He nodded, a barely perceptible movement of the head, and then turned back around, trying to decide what flavor ice cream he wanted to get.
TO BE CONCLUDED…
THANK YOU FOR READING
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Bray is a Horror author based in Leeds, England. Influenced from an early age by the suspense horror of authors such as Stephen King, and the trashy pulp TV shows like Tales From The Crypt & The Twilight Zone, he started to work on his own fiction, and spent many years developing his style.
In May 2012, he signed a deal with the highly reputable Dark Hall Press to print and distribute his collection of interlinked short stories titled Dark Corners, which was released in September 2012. His second release was a Novella titled MEAT which was initially self-published before being picked up by J. Ellington Ashton Press. His first full length novel, a supernatural horror titled Whisper was also initially self-published, and following great critical acclaim, was sold to Horrific Tales publishing - his first advance paying sale.
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Also from Horrific Tales Publishing
When John Simpson hears of a bizarre animal attack in his old home town of High Moor, it stirs memories of a long forgotten horror. John knows the truth. A werewolf stalks the town once more, and on the night of the next full moon, the killing will begin again. He should know. He survived a werewolf attack in 1986, during the worst year of his life.
It’s 1986 and the town is gripped in terror after the mutilated corpse of a young boy is found in the woods. When Sergeant Steven Wilkinson begins an investigation, with the help of a specialist hunter, he soon realises that this is no ordinary animal attack. Werewolves are real, and the trail of bodies is just beginning, with young John and his friends smack in the middle of it.
Twenty years later, John returns to High Moor. The latest attack involved one of his childhood enemies, but there’s more going on than meets the eye. The consequences of his past actions, the reappearance of an old flame and a dying man who will either save or damn him are the least of his problems. The night of the full moon is approaching and time is running out.
But how can he hope to stop a werewolf, when every full moon he transforms into a bloodthirsty monster himself?
"Graeme Reynolds has written a real-deal werewolf story. In these dull days of nice, friendly lycanthropes, it is refreshing to see some brutality and animal instincts in what is a very fine British horror novel. Reynolds draws vivid pictures with words. His descriptions of High Moor the town is excellent, portraying an area in decay, one that suffered during the 1980s, and has yet to recover into the 21st century. The transformation scenes, where humans become wolves, are brilliantly done, and you can feel every crack of bone, every tear of flesh. High Moor is a worthy addition to the werewolf canon. - Thomas Emson, Author of Maneater, Prey, Skarlet, Krimson, Zombie Britannica"
Ripe for a film or TV adaptation and left open for a sequel, High Moor is an excellent example of great British writing that deserves to be read. - Starburst Magazine. 9/10
If you’re craving some good werewolf action with well-developed characters and a fantastic plot, skip the Hollywood films and go straight for this electrifying novel, which is far more entertaining. - Hellnotes.com
Graeme Reynolds has written a captivating, action packed, this-should-be-a-movie werewolf novel in High Moor and if this is going to be a series of some sort, count me in for the ride. It should be a fun one. - Horrortalk.com
This is an action filled horror novel that also has fully realized characters; the fact that Reynolds brings the characters to life so well just adds to the terror you feel as a reader. - The Horrifically Horrifying Horror Blog
It takes a writer of tremendous skill to imbue a an action packed novel with as much depth, as is displayed here. This book was a joy to read, not just for its ability to transport me back to a time gone by, but also because it is so well written. If this is the level of writing Graeme is capable of producing in a début novel, then I for one cannot wait for his next novel. - Gingernuts of Horror
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The people of High Moor are united in horror at the latest tragedy to befall their small town. As dawn breaks, the town is left to count the cost and mourn its dead, while breathing a collective sigh of relief.
John Simpson, the apparent perpetrator of the horrific murders, is in police custody. The nightmare is over.
Isn’t it?
Detective Inspector Phil Fletcher and his partner, Constable Olivia Garner, have started to uncover some unsettling evidence during their investigations of John Simpson’s past — evidence that supports his impossible claims: that he is a werewolf, and will transform on the next full moon to kill again.
However a new threat is now lurking in the shadows. A mysterious group have arrived in High Moor, determined to keep the existence of werewolves hidden.
And they will do anything to protect their secret. Anything at all…
A reminder of why werewolves are supposed to be scary. - Starburst Magazine. 10/10
A masterclass in modern action horror. - Gingernuts of Horror
The action is explosive and relentless, the violence is gory and ferocious, yet it is far from mindless as it is underpinned by a superb and fascinating story. - The Eloquent Page
An absolute must for werewolf fans. - Hellnotes.com
I don’t think I can recommend this book highly enough but with the caveat that this tale is not for the faint of heart, or indeed those looking for Twilight-type lycanthropy! - Andyerupts.com
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Buy it now at Amazon.co.uk
Socrates has a gift, a power even he doesn’t fully understand.
But old Gert, who feeds the pigeons in Gustav’s Park understands. Pretty Jamie, who works at the Bird Emporium, understands. And the old Indian chief who wears a strange, two—sided bird mask, he understands too.
As does the ancient, angry spirit called the Thunderbird and about a million of Wellington County’s feathered creatures…
They know what Socrates Singer really is.
And they know what he can do…
“Peppered with some extremely intense descriptive passages, this book will keep you on the edge of the seat, right up to it's pitch perfect ending.” Gingernuts of Horror
“It made Hitchcock's "The Birds" look like a Tweety and Sylvester cartoon.” Amazon customer review
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Buy it now at Amazon.co.uk
Table of Contents
ECHOES
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
EPILOGUE
THANK YOU FOR READING
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Also from Horrific Tales Publishing
